This invention relates generally to weighing scale assemblies and particularly to portable, low profile weighing scale assemblies.
Applicants, Kroll et al. have in the past disclosed wheel scale assemblies in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,714,121 and 4,979,581 issued on Dec. 22, 1987 and Dec. 25, 1990, respectively. Applicants Kroll et al. have further disclosed load cell structures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,775,018 and 4,813,504 issued on Oct. 4, 1988 and Mar. 21, 1989, respectively. The latter load cell structures are shown used, respectively, in the wheel scale assemblies of the '121 and '581 U.S. Patents.
Applicants' above referenced wheel scale assemblies and associated load cell structures disclose low profile wheel scales designed for vehicles, such as trucks. Accordingly, the assemblies are designed and constructed to handle weights up to 20,000 lbs and yield weighing accuracies in the range of plus or minus one percent.
The weighing scale assemblies and load cell structures of the present invention are for weighing scale systems specifically designed for automobiles and particularly for racing cars. Accordingly, the scale assemblies are designed for lower weight capacities, i.e. 1000-1500 lbs. per weighing pad. Further, the accuracy of these weighing scales is plus or minus 0.5 percent.
Thus, it is the object of this invention to provide weighing scale assemblies and load cell structures for the race car industry and the like. The weighing scales are lightweight, low profile assemblies which are economical, easily manufactured and which yield reliable repeatable weighing results with a high degree of accuracy. And although the need for such accurate and repeatable, low cost weighing scales has long existed in the race car industry, none in so far as is known has been proposed or developed.